Children's Home run by Brooks & Brooks Recruitment Ltd in Oldham

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2711581 1 Registered provider: Brooks & Brooks Recruitment

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is privately operated and provides care for one child. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living in this home may have a range of social and emotional difficulties. The inspector spoke with the child who was living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The registered manager left their role in October 2024, following a long period of absence. An interim manager has been recruited. She has applied to register with Ofsted for this home. She is already registered to manage another of the provider’s homes.

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Information about this children's home

This inspection was brought forward following some serious safeguarding notifications received by Ofsted.

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Information about this children's home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children's home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2711581 2 how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation and to consider how well it complies with The Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the 'Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards'. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2711581 3

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Serious incidents have been responded to promptly and appropriately by the staff team. Intervention has been sought from mental health practitioners to ensure that the child has been provided with the necessary support and assessment. Leaders and managers, the staff team and the in-house therapist together have provided the child with consistent support during a prolonged period in hospital.

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Findings from the inspection

The interim manager has confidently challenged other professionals when she has had concerns about decisions made about the child’s welfare or the quality of external outreach support for the child. She has closely monitored the staff team’s management of any incidents and has ensured that all significant incidents have been notified to Ofsted.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has recognised that reflective practice sessions should be prioritised to review the effectiveness of their communication and information sharing associated with the safety planning and preparation for the child's discharge from hospital.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have a good understanding of the child's risks and behaviour and any triggers that need to be monitored closely relating to risks of self-injury and suicidal ideation. Restraint is used as a last resort to keep the child safe from self-injury and harm. All restraints are recorded clearly and evidences any de-escalation strategies used prior to the restraint.

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Findings from the inspection

Safety plans and risk assessments provide staff with clear guidance about the action they should take to keep the child safe. They include the restrictions staff must work with, under the child’s Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards order. The child’s views, wishes and feelings about helping them to manage their emotions is implemented into their plans. During the inspection, staff were observed using these agreed strategies to help the child to manage their emotions and to prevent their behaviour escalating further.

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Findings from the inspection

An educational psychologist assessment has been undertaken with the child to identify any specific educational and learning needs. However, the child is yet to access formal education and rarely engages with the in-house education. The concerns relating to the child’s lack of education provision has not been effectively escalated to the appropriate professionals by the interim manager. Therefore, there has been no development in the child’s access to education since the last inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The interim manager has brought positivity to the staff team. They reported that they are well supported, and they are confident in the guidance the interim manager provides to the team. They benefit from practice-related supervisions regularly and Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2711581 4 in addition to this, they receive therapeutic support from the in-house therapist. Consequently, the staff team morale has improved since the last inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has spent time working with the neighbours, to develop positive relationships and to ensure that they are confident in contacting the staff team if they have any concerns about the child’s safety or the impact of the home being in the local community.

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Findings from the inspection

Some areas of the home still require redecoration, such as the bathroom. Additionally, there are some outstanding repairs required to damage around the home to make it feel more homely. This was a recommendation at the last inspection and so it has been escalated to a requirement.

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Findings from the inspection

The independent visitor reports and the review of the quality-of-care reports have improved in quality. They have been used to make positive changes to the management of systems and oversight of the home. An example of this, there are more robust systems in place for the management of medication and all consequences are now evaluated for their effectiveness of behaviour management Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2711581 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/08/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2711581 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the 'Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards'. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, a reflective practice session should be undertaken to review the effectiveness of leaders and managers communication and information sharing associated with the safety planning and preparation for the child's discharge from hospital. 10 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 10 January 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2711581 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child's education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and training and to maximise the child's achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, some areas of the home still require redecoration, such as the bathroom and some damage around the home should be repaired without delay. 10 January 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2711581 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Brooks & Brooks Recruitment

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Hilton Jones Limited, Hollinwood Business Centre, Albert Street, Oldham OL8 3QL

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Junior Brandford

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Inspector

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2711581 9 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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